- Local Quote =“Most would focus on the tram, bringing you up over 4,000 feet in about 9 minutes in winds up to 70 mph. Many could look at the average snowfall, which lays down an impressive 450+” of snow. Some could even point to the fact that our relative isolation keeps crowds far below what they would be at many other resorts around the world. I would say the single factor that makes Jackson Hole stand out from it’s peers is the terrain- long, steep couloirs, badass open faces, incredible tree skiing…and that’s just what’s immediately around the resort. Add in Teton Pass, Grand Teton National Park, and the surrounding ranges that very few people even visit and you’ve got plenty to keep yourself busy. Finally, Teton fault could always shift and our lines could quickly grow another couple inches…which is, coincidentally, what she said.” – Andrew Whiteford, Jackson Hole Freeride Team member

- Local Quote = “The sheer size and range of riding available at Whistler makes any day with any conditions hold potential to be your best day of the season. Plus, if it is raining, the two dozen bars will give you more than enough options to drink it blue.” – Eliel Hindert, Professional skier & Sweet Grass movie star

#3 – Squaw Valley, CA

KT-22, in all it’s 2011 glory. photo: miles clark

- Average snowfall = 450 inches

- Total inbounds terrain = 3,600 acres

- Top elevation = 9,050 feet

- Bottom elevation = 6,200 feet

- Total vertical drop = 2,850 feet

- Trails = 170+

- Lifts = 30

- Why Squaw Is Great = The Terrain

- Local Quote = ”What makes Squaw Valley the planet’s greatest ski area is that we have the greatest snow on earth, a unmatched dump:sun ratio, unsurpassed verticality, perfectly clean, granite cliffs ten feet higher than some in Whistler, and very few iPhone-toting hippies. On top of all this, the general lack of local arrogance is utterly refreshing, which outsiders might find surprising because Squaw is pretty much the center of the universe.” – Scott Gaffney, editor, director, filmer with Matchstick Productions

#4 – Snowbird, UT

The Snowbird Tram is what it’s all about. photo: sandy.utah.gov

- Average snowfall = 500 inches

- Total inbounds terrain = 2,500 acres

- Top elevation = 11,000 feet

- Bottom elevation = 7,760 feet

- Total vertical drop = 3,240 feet

- Trails = 85

- Lifts = 11

- Why Snowbird is Great = The Tram

- Local Quote = “The Tram is the best lift in the world because you get all the goodness of Snowbird all from one lift. You can access almost the entire mountain and ski 3-4 times as much steep terrain in one run as you can at Squaw Valley. Plus it really doesn’t smell as bad as people say”- Daryn Edmunds, long-time Snowbird local

- Quote = ”Man, this place is amazing. I’d love to get back up here. On a powder day, it seems like there’s nobody here and the terrain’s incredible. I gotta get back.” – Arne Backstrom, 2010 Revelstoke FWT Champion & 2010 Overall FWT Champion

- Local Quote =“There are plenty of great ski areas in the Western US. If you happen to be at any one of them when it snows, that is about the best place you can be. But if you happen to be in Taos for that magic event, you are likely to be enjoying the heck out of things for about a week. We aren’t on the beaten path… A heck of a lot of folks think they need a passport and some shots to visit Taos. Shots yes, passport no. You can’t ski out Taos Ski Valley in a day or a week or a season. It’s complicated and we like it that way.” – Dave Hahn, Taos Ski Patroller, Mountain Guide with 14 summits of Everest, 20 summits of Denali, 30 summits of Vinson Massif in Antarctica

#7 – Big Sky, MT

Big Sky, MT.

- Average snowfall = 400 inches

- Total inbounds terrain = 5,804 acres

- Top elevation = 11,166 feet

- Bottom elevation = 6,800 feet

- Total vertical drop = 4,366 feet

- Trails = 299

- Lifts = 30

- Why Big Sky is Great = The Steeps

- Local Quote = “Where else in America can you get 4000′ vertical, 4000 acres, 400″ of snow, 56 degree steeps, 320 days of sunshine, and less than a million people?”- Chris Rennau, Big Sky ski enthusiast

#8 – Kicking Horse, B.C.

Kicking Horse, B.C. Photo: Eric Bergeri/Snowboardermag.com

- Average snowfall = 295 inches

- Total inbounds terrain = 2,800 acres

- Top elevation = 8,033 feet

- Bottom elevation = 3,900 feet

- Total vertical drop = 4,133 feet

- Trails = 120

- Lifts = 4

- Why Kicking Horse is Great = The Lack of Crowds + Big Terrain

- Local Quote = This place is so new and unfrequented, that we couldn’t even get someone to quote…

#9 – Mount Baker, WA

Shuksan Arm, Mt. Baker Ski Resort, WA.

- Average snowfall = 641 inches

- Total inbounds terrain = 1,000 acres

- Top elevation = 5,089 feet

- Bottom elevation = 3,500 feet

- Total vertical drop = 1,589 feet

- Trails = 31

- Lifts = 8

- Why Mt Baker is Great = The Snow Quanitiy (world record set in ’98/99 at 1,140 inches”)

- Local Quote = “Baker is great because you have this amazing mixture of constantly deep snow, amazing terrain and a Mountain Management policy that is more about people taking responsibility for there own actions, and lets people make there own decisions about riding some of the incredibly challenging terrain. Not to mention the limitless backcountry that is easily accessible from the ski area.” – Grant Gunderson

- Local Quote = “Silverton Mountain is pretty close to the most pure skiing experience one can find today – an epic mountain, bountiful snowfall (the deep and light Colorado kind!), and none of the distractions of other ski areas (crowds!). Silverton is like heli-skiing with a chairlift!” – Chris Davenport, Big-Time Professional Skier and Mountaineer

Silverton is in Colorado. What resorts could you be thinking of? Most CO resorts don’t get the snow, don’t have steep terrain, and don’t have accessibility. Maybe if they factored in crowd congestion more Colorado resorts would do better.

Colorado has tons of snow and powder, WHY DO PEOPLE THINK SUMMIT COUNTY IS ALL THAT COLORADO HAS TO OFFER? If places like Wyoming, or Utah had more mountain ranges then they’d be in the same boat as Colorado in terms of snow diversity! Jackson Hole in fact has averaged only 320 inches of snow the last three years! I would rank Telluride and Wolf Creek above most of the resorts elsewhere. Why do people think that Colorado has no steep terrain, just because a ski resort like Breck or Vail is flat doesn’t mean that steep mountains don’t exist in CO!! Remember the winter of 2011-2012, Alta and the rest of Utah got less snow than Summit County!! People who think Colorado doesn’t get the snow of other places are seriously narrow minded and clueless. California snow is too hard, but I guess some people like that.

Sean you have no clue. You have never skied any “real” Colorado mountains.
Steeps: Crested Butte/Abasin/Loveland…..some of the steepest runs in US
Crowds: Abasin/Loveland/Monarch/Wolf Creek/Crested Butte/Jane….none ever.

I have been to Silverton, I know, and you are correct. Silverton makes every run at every other ski resort look flat by comparison. I have skied nearly every double-black diamond and EXterrain at 3/4ths of Colorado ski areas, there is nothing like Silverton. Some of their terrain is quadruple black diamond. The waiver that you sign beforehand says it all. Level 9 extreme skiing all the way.

I skied there in December ’10 and they had like 40 inches in two days. Sick steeps and deep everywhere. Add the very high elevation and it should be higher on the list cause it’s so physically demanding. I’m planning on another trip next month!

Well, I have to say I’ve had my absolute best pow days at Steamboat… for powder I have never had those days matched anywhere… I am talking deep, deep powder that is light as a feather!
I think Lake Louise has some fun terrain as well.. not the big pow- but amazing scenery, even better then Telluride.
All these resorts are good on their best day and conditions- but the boat consistently has good pow

Had two great days of fresh deep pow at Steamboat, but found Steamboat to be very flat. Mt. Werner has Chutes and Christmas Tree bowl, but they are short and a long runout with lots of poling. And a real wacky way to have to ski down the flat back bowl to take Morningside to get to the chutes, or have to hike off the Storm Peak lift. I wanted to like Steamboat, but just cannot get into it.

Morningside is a colossal waste of time. Literally you take six turns and your run is over. Flat! The best spots are the chutes and the little hike up to No Names and North St Pats, but it’s short too.

Alpine IS Squaw now… gone are the days of the $45 ticket and the endless hike-able pow… Love this list, I can see how some are bantering about the order, but with several places off the beaten path that I’ve never tried, it’s time to get my ass out there! My heart will always stay in POWDER MOUNTAIN, UT, though… love that place!

If you have been to revelstoke you know it is the best. Only 3 lifts to access enormous terrain. Easy back/side country access a lot of snow. The trees are perfection. It is not uncommon to see an ambulance at the base. This place is perfection.

Dude, BAR none Revelstoke takes the win. Brand new, no one knows about it, and they get more snow than alsmost anyone, no crowds (far to get to), and was even in Art Of Flight (unfortunate :/). I have been to all of these, numerous times except silverton, and all over the world for that matter (thanks government job) and for real un biased since I live on the east cost now REVELSTOKE is KING. PERIOD. And snowbird blows compared to snowbasis, that was the deepest dryest pow of my life 55inches inches in 24 hours. Jackson is awesome for sure, but windblown and icy as you all know as soon as it get’s exposed. Revelstoke baky, get reved!! Plus the town is way cooler than any of them, not built up yet, and have way better heli skiing than any of the above listed for 10x cheaper. WORD

Where’s Loveland, Wolf Creek, and Telluride? Colorado has the best skiing in the USA!!! Loveland has 450 inches of snow and great steeps, Wolf Creek has 500 inches of the best powder anywhere. Telluride has everything too! California and Utah always put down Colorado to make themselves feel better, but everything they say is B.S. Both Utah and California lie about their snowfall and terrain, when Colorado is too modest. Why is everyone so jealous of Colorado? If they weren’t then why do they always feel the need to disparage it?

It is always about the snow, not who has the best lodge, or the nicest parking lot or a good menu or affordable daycare, it always comes back to the snow. If you are a groomer, good for you, you can ski on an ice rink. If you like moguls, you need to get out of the 80’s. If you like snow, and I’m talking about dumping all the time, consistent 10+ inch overnight dumps that happen 30+ times a year, then you are talking about Mt Baker, the king of snow. The closest place on this list is 141 inches, or almost 12 feet less in snow for the season! This isn’t a place where you get a 40 inch dump and no snow for 3 weeks. Beyond that, it has arguably the best chair lift or book packed backcountry access in the world. They don’t groom 80% of the killer inbounds terrain, because why ruin a good thing? It always comes back to the snow and the terrain under it, and with that in mind, Mt Baker can’t be beat…period.
Snowiest places in 2012/13. And this is an average year at Baker! But look at the rest of the list, the PNW is where it is at if you want snow! But please don’t come here, the canadians have already infiltrated the area, and we don’t want anymore. Thanks in advance!
#1 – Mt. Baker, WA = 720″
#2 – Alyeska, AK = 718”
#3 – Mt. Washington, B.C. = 685″
#4 – Timberline, OR = 544″
#5 – Stevens Pass, WA = 541″

Taos @ #6? maybe once every decade, I spent 4 years there and one was decent the rest were horrible. now there is a lift to the top of Kachina Peak, Taos is DEAD! No Crested Butte? some of the best lift serviced hike-to terrain off of high lift and out to third bowl. Happy to see Silverton on the list although I think there are a half dozen other resorts that are better on any given day, another mountain that needs a perfect day to get the goods. It is an amazing experience any day but not always great skiing like these other resorts offer. Just my 2 cents… go to http://www.powderpages.com for videos pics and discussion of mountain culture….. thanks Snowbrains Keep it up!!!

Revelstoke is over hyped. Waited literally an hour to get on the gondola on a powder morning. Yes, it has massive vertical North to South but its narrow East to West and gets skied out in about an hour. Some of the glades are great but a lot of them need much more glading work done so you can let your skis run. It does have a beautiful view.